Shattered
by Maschera di Miseria
Summary: Amy should have listened when she was told that he wouldn't keep his promise.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, SEGA does, I believe. :3

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**Chapter One** // Lack of Pride, Overdose of Gluttony.

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Amy Rose strolled down the sidewalk, humming a melodic tune while she did a few last preparations on her outfit. _Ohh, I hope that he doesn't think I look too plain or casual- Oh, just get a grip on yourself! You're fine! ...Crap! Did I bring my compact...?!_

About anyone on this particular day could tell that Amy Rose had finally gotten what she had desired for the longest time: a true date with her '_Sonniku_.' She was practically glowing with a luminous radiance, and there was a noticeable bounce in her step as she trotted to Twinkle Park where they would meet and hang about for a while. She again straightened out the outfit she had chosen for this occasion, and was quite glad she had long ditched that red and white ensemble that she was seen wearing in prior years. Amy entered while gawking at the painstakingly beautiful scenery that the park had to offer, despite the fact this wasn't her first time wandering into the vicinity. She quickly came across a fountain that Sonic promised was the place he would meet her, so she sat down on its cool edge, her hands neatly folded on her lap.

The sights that surrounded her were distracting enough that she didn't notice her blue hero sneak up and sit right next to her, a rose held out for her to take. The rose hedgehog practically fell off her seat while her hand flew to slow the beating of her heart when she realized that Sonic in fact did show up, with a gift even! _A beautiful one at that!_

With the same hand that was used to calm her heartbeat, she cautiously picked the rose by its stem from the his grip, her face breaking out into a cheeky grin. "Sonic, it's gorgeous!" she squealed, throwing her arms around Sonic's neck to engulf him with a bear hug.

"A-Amy! I can-I can't breathe!" the cerulean hedgehog managed to choke out as his hands feebly tried to pry her arms off him.

"O-Oh! I'm sorry!" she immediately released him, and returned to her previous position in an embarassed manner.

"It's... okay." Sonic inhaled and exhaled deeply as a means to regain his regular breathing pattern.

"S-So...what are we going to do first?" the pink hedgehog inquired softly, absentmindedly spinning the rose's stem between her index and thumb. _You're doing great! Okay, you weren't before, but _now_ you are. Keep a level head, Amy! He'll fall for you soon enough!_

"How about we hop into some bumper cars and see if you can hit me?" Sonic suggested with a challenging wink.

Amy giggled in return, and jumped to her feet. "You're on!"

- - -

"Heehee, who knew Sonic the Hedgehog was _that_ slow at bumper cars?"

"Oh, don't let that get to your head, Ames, those cars were pitifully slow!" Sonic pouted as his eyebrows pulled together in frustration.

"Pfft," one stand had specifically caught her eye while she glanced around, and what it sold seemed pretty yummy right about now, "Sonic! Look, cotton candy!"

"Mhmm," he replied distractedly, suddenly nudging her in the direction of the cart while pressing some money in her palm, "How about you get me some, too?"

He suddenly dashed off, leaving a confused Amy to saunter over to the cart to find the blue and pink fluffy candy. Getting one of each color, she happily forked over the money, then spotted a familar head of cerulean quills walking toward her again. She dove behind a giant oak tree decorated with soft lights similar to those hanging high above everyone's head as they strolled about the park, hugging the cotton candy concealed in clear plastic bags to her body. Taking one last peek to see if her date was drawing near so she could jump out and surprise him, she only caught sight of Sonic's back while he conversed with what seemed to be like a female. There was a lack of sufficient light, so Amy really couldn't make out the figure that he was talking to. Her hearing, however, was perfectly fine, capable of picking up their conversation...well, just Sonic's part because he did never know how to maintain a whisper.

"I know I'm here with her, and I know you dislike it when she's around, but- "

"Yes, I'm aware of that-"

"Could you stop interrupting me, it's annoyi- "

"Okay! I'm on a damned _pity date_ with her! I mean, come on, she's had this crush on me for how long- "

"_Fine_. As long as you _calm down_!"

"P-Pi...Pity...date...?" Amy whispered quietly to herself as she slid down the trunk to make contact with the soft grass settled beneath her. He couldn't. He _wouldn't_. So a pity date was all she was worth? There would never be that genuine date she had dreamed for since her crush on the blue blur formed? Tears didn't even take the time to sting her eyes, simply quick to spill down her cheeks and leave the little rivulets of the salty liquid to succumb to gravity. The pink hedgehog clutched tightly at the bags of cotton candy, a small sob escaping her fallen form.

He would never return her love. He never intended to.

It hit her like a ton of bricks, the realization of it all. How could she have been so blind as to not be even the least bit aware of the situation at hand? He _ran away_ whenever he had the opportunity, probably to escape from being glomped by her, oddly, powerful tackle hugs. By this time, Amy's fingers tore into one of the cotton candy bags, ready to stuff her face with the fluffy substance to rid herself of the heavy ache in her chest. She had to lick her lips every so often to stop her lips from getting too sticky with the sugar, even taking the time to listen to herself as she sobbed quietly.

"Oh, she's not even here. Where'd she run off to? She did say she was going to the cotton can- "

"Alright, I'll just say I went looking for her around Station Square because I couldn't find her here." A slight pause. "Let's take a ride on the ferris wheel then, though I doubt the view won't be as fantastic as you."

Tears now thoroughly obscured her vision, but she didn't even care the slightest bit to wipe them away. She had no will, no hope at the moment to do very much. It was quite pitiful for her to cry over one boy that could be easily replaced, but her self-esteem was creating an obstacle towards the thought. The pink hedgehog secretly kept to herself that she easily fell in love with males that were extremely nice to her, but somehow committed herself fully to the cerulean hedgehog due to his saving her life countless times. _Like a knight in shining armor that I've been longing for._

She had put all her hope into this one crush, knowing all too well that it would hurt her eventually. And, now, she was living through the consequence of loving one that would obviously not love her back, and it hurt. It really did. Amy cursed her stubborn and persistent personality as she rewinded into her past, replaying particular memories that had her forcing her love unto the cerulean hedgehog. She found herself cringing at all of her past actions, realizing how idiotic she acted back then. _Who knew I could be so...irritating?_

Amy soon halted in plucking cotton candy from the bag since there was none left for her to continually pop into her mouth. Raising her line of vision, she noticed two legs sheathed in black jeans standing a few feet away in front of her. Glancing up with hesitation, she met the gaze of half-lidded cerise eyes. "Shadow..."

"Rose," he sneered in acknowledgement, "Why are you sitting there looking so...pathetic?"

The pink hedgehog surprised even herself when a bitter laugh passed her lips. "Yes, pathetic. Stupid. Foolish- "

"Shut up." Shadow growled, his hands forming fists at his sides.

She did not flinch from the sudden command, but did indeed silence herself, now feeling quite indifferent after crying so much. She lifted her head again after an awkward silence, speaking up as Shadow was about to take his leave. "Why are you here in Twinkle Park?"

"Hn." Shadow stopped in his tracks. "Rouge...is on her date with that red echidna. She thought I isolated myself enough so she dragged me along to 'enjoy myself.' Though I'm going straight home right now."

He left before she could open her mouth again. Sighing deeply, she crumpled up the empty plastic bag, throwing it into a nearby trashcan after successfully standing on her own two feet. Tucking the other bag underneath the arm that delicately held her present, Amy decided that going home would be best. Amy quickly exited the park, glad that there was some daylight left for her walk home. As she managed to pass by her favorite ice cream shop on the way, she thought that the fluffy candy wouldn't do her depression any justice, so she strode inside the bright shop.

After moments of searching through the freezer, Amy finally had possession over one of her many favorite flavors of ice cream, so she walked over to the register to purchase the tub that would be her best friend until it was depleted of its contents. Unfortunately, there was a couple bickering over which flavors to get on their ice cream cones, basically in the way leading to the register. With a frown, her eyes found comfort in soaking in the designs etched into the tiles covering the floor as she waited patiently for the two to settle down. "I'm sorry, hun, we didn't mean to- Amy?"

A familiar female bat came into view as soon as she responded to the call of her name. "Rouge? Knuckles? What are you two doing here?"

Rouge smiled, and jabbed at her boyfriend's chest a couple of times. "Mr. Tough Guy here was so caught up in trying to win me a stuffed animal that he even went through tantrums when he couldn't succeed, so I thought it would be better if we left."

The pink hedgehog mustered up the smallest smile she could. "I see."

The female bat adjusted the over-sized hoodie draped on her shoulders before sliding past Knuckles, so he could pay for their ice cream cones. Bending her knees to catch a better glimpse of her best friend's face, Rouge frowned instantly. "Have you been crying?"

Aware that the female bat would somehow be able to pry the information from her later on, Amy nodded slowly, her lower lip trembling. "Yes. I have. Sonic and I had a date..."

"How many times do I have to tell you that that boy will never stay true to his word?"

"I- I know, but he promised he would take me on a genuine date, and he seemed so sincere..." Amy trailed off, but continued after, "And the date started off so well, and he even got me a gift," she paused to raise the rose into view, "But then there was-"

Rouge cut her off when she saw tears beginning to form at the corners of the hedgehog's eyes. "How about you tell me when we get home? You're definitely sleeping over until you feel better," she then sneakily snatched the tub of ice cream from her best friend, "And I'll have Knuckles pay for this." she finished with a wink. The said echidna groaned, only receiving a giggle from his lover.

- - -

Who knew Rouge could force the 'ultimate lifeform' to live in her spacious apartment? Amy was surprised to find the onyx hedgehog sprawled across the couch so comfortably, flipping constantly through the channels. She rarely paid attention to him when Rouge playfully led her to the guest room, which was located on the second floor, where she and Cream slept during sleepovers. They then stopped in front of the door leading to the guest room with Rouge holding out a set of sleeping clothes. "Okay, so I must warn you that Shadow has permanently occupied your guest bed, so you're going to have to sleep in Cream's. Your ice cream, spoon, and presents are awaiting you on the vanity table, and, if you need me, I'll be downstairs cuddling with Knuckles." she giggled and walked away with a wink.

_Great, if that happens, Shadow's probably going to be forced up here with me..._ Amy thought dreadfully as she twisted the knob to enter the familiar room. The only thing that had changed from her last sleepover was that her usual bed was bigger and covered entirely in silky, black sheets coupled with wine red pillows. As comfy as it may have seemed, she turned away from it, instantly switching into more comfortable clothes so that it would be less restricting than a tight-fitting shirt and denim jeans. She situated herself at the vanity table that she always enjoyed sitting at, staring at the miniature containers laid out decoratively before her. Dabbing on make-up never made her confidence swell, and it would never have that effect...

How could she find so many depressing references in her everyday life and possessions?

Amy took notice that the cotton candy that she did not devour was ironically the blue one. _Must he also haunt me even when I'm not in his presence?_ She ran a gloveless finger across the plastic bag's surface, drawing patterns and shapes along the way as she stared at the rose _he_ had given to her, which was slightly bending over the rim of a crystal clear vase with a peculiar cylindrical shape. A stinging pain erupted in her chest as she took another glimpse at the flower, reminding her of earlier that day.

Tears did not come to her eyes this time, only thoughts brewing up a storm within her already troubled mind. Sighing angrily, she pulled the ice cream container closer, picking the spoon off the cover before opening it. A few spoonfuls later, a contented smile rested on her lips, in which she took a huge scoop to finish her session of snacking away at the delightful and cold treat. While patting the cover to close it securely, she took small bites of the ball of ice cream remaining on the silver utensil with a lick every now and then. "What are you doing in here?"

Amy directed her attention to the male hedgehog leaning on the door frame, his arms crossed. In a mid-lick, she quickly slipped the rest of the ice cream on her tongue, drawing the muscle in once it seemed the spoon was clean of the cold dessert. "Rouge invited me to stay. I hope you don't mind sharing a room." she answered softly, returning the silver utensil to where she originally found it.

"Hn." A shuffle of feet was heard, then a bed creaking under weight. The television at her right suddenly came to life, playing rock music at a low volume. Ignoring the volume as it grew a bit louder, she sleepily crossed her arms on the table's surface, laying her head upon her makeshift pillow. "Rose." Shadow called from across the room as he carelessly tossed the remote somewhere else on his bed. "_Rose._"

The pink hedgehog emitted a light snore in return, mumbling incoherently as she successfully dozed off into a peaceful state.

Shadow's ear twitched upon hearing feet tap lightly against the steps of the staircase, meaning Rouge and Knuckles had decided to call it a day. He kept his sight on the door, and, as expected, the female bat poked her head in to check up on them. He saw her lips form a frown when her eyes landed on the sleeping form of the hedgehog at the vanity table. "Shadow, you imbecile, why can't you be gentleman enough to at least bring Amy to her bed?" she asked in a harsh whisper as she stepped fully into the room.

Shadow scoffed. "Why should I? Her sulking is only making the atmosphere of this room completely rotten." His hand automatically flew up to catch his shoe, which was meant to hit him in the face, courtesy of an enraged Rouge.

"You're heartless, you know that? How could you even say that when the girl needs all the comfort and attention she can get?!"

"Like I give a damn," he retorted as his shoe fell to the floor with a clatter, "And you're simply _babying_ her. She needs to learn how to pull herself from her depression on her own. At least that way, she'll be able to cheer up if _you_ aren't around."

From what Amy could tell (yes, she had been wide awake since Rouge threw a shoe at its owner), her best friend was speechless, but was proven wrong when she practically screeched her final sentence. "Fine, just _leave_ her there the whole night if it satisfies you, Shadow the hedgehog!" The sound of a door slammed with brute force resonated throughout the room, causing Amy to wince.

Shadow was right though. What if Rouge, or even Cream, wasn't there when something like this were to happen again? She had to learn how to brighten up, even if it meant taking every ounce of energy she had within her to find what raised her happiness. Before she could sit upright as if the slam had woken her up, she was suddenly hoisted into the air by a pair of strong arms. Amy had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from squealing from the sudden action, and felt Shadow walk over to her mattress, gently laying her on the comforter. It was softly pulled from underneath her, finding he had done it to drape the fabric over her body. _How hypocritical of you, Shadow._

Amy drifted in and out of sleep since then, finding it quite difficult to completely succumb to slumber. With too much on her mind, she decided to re-possess her tub of ice cream, surprised when it was only a bit melted. The light that the television produced was now the only thing keeping the room illuminated as all other forms of light were turned off. She noticed Shadow was already asleep, his back turned to her, as she rid the spoon of another glob of ice cream. From there, she glanced at the digital clock placed on the nightstand separating their beds, 12:46 AM glowing bright red on the face of the clock. Five minutes later after she had taken note on what time it was, her spoon finally hit the bottom, so she lightly placed the empty tub on the nightstand along with the spoon. Her headband soon followed the tub, causing her bangs to fall and gently tickle her eyelids. The feeling of a full stomach helped in guiding the pink hedgehog into finally finding her way into an inviting dreamland that didn't include a cerulean hedgehog that had one less fangirl to worry about.

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End **Chapter One**.

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Haha, well, hello there! :]

This may not be my first fanfiction, but it is the first to make it onto this site. This is also my first mature-ish story, so when the time comes, don't kill me because of the quality! -cowers-  
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I thank you for taking time to even read this -coughshitcough-.  
Oh, and if you find mistakes, please tell me. Even though I read chapters over and over, I tend to skip over a few of the said mistakes because I tend to rush. And I have an OCD problem, and it would help solve it if I could fix mistakes that _you_ find before I do. xD

**My Inspiration(s) for This Chapter:** _Ignorance_ by Paramore. (( The music video is freakin' brilliant, and the song somehow spurs anger within me. xD ))  
_The Legendary Theme (Acoustic Version)_ off of the Gitaroo Man soundtrack. (( I loved the game. I want to buy it off someone because I miss the gameplay. ; A ; ))  
_River Flows in You_ by Yiruma. (( I need to learn this on the piano! ))

Sooo...uh...review? Please? Heehee.

_Maschera di Miseria has signed off._


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, SEGA does, I believe. :3

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**Chapter Two** // Wrath with a Cheerful Tone, Envy with a Persistent Feel.

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Strangely, the first thing Amy cursed at in the morning was the fact that the bed she occupied was placed underneath the only window in the room. The thin curtains that hung as a decoration for said window weren't enough to keep the strong sunlight from hitting her eyes, causing a rude awakening with the rose hedgehog. She didn't feel like suffocating herself with her pillow to coax herself into falling asleep again, so she sat up, finding that Shadow hadn't moved an inch since she saw him last night. Rolling her eyes and unwilling to think of the possibilities of how the male hedgehog could maintain that position without getting sore, she reached for the empty ice cream tub. At the same time, Amy took note that it was already 10:42 AM, unaware that in the process of forcefully bringing the container closer, her headband fell noiselessly to the floor underneath her bed.

The pink hedgehog padded as silently as she could across the room to exit it and travel to the kitchen, where she would whip up a 'thank you' brunch for those that dared to help her. After dumping the tub into the trash can and dropping the spoon in the sink, Amy pulled out the appropriate pans and utensils in order to start. As she set down the last pan on the stove, she inhaled deeply while patting both of her cheeks lightly. _Pull yourself together, Amy! You're stronger than how you were acting last night. No one person is going to bring you down._ And with her little pep talk, she began to crack a few eggs into a bowl as the start of a wonderfully delicious cheese omelet.

Rouge's sensitive hearing picked up on movement and familiar humming coming from the floor beneath her bedroom. If there was some commotion this early in the morning, it meant her best friend was already awake from being unable to sleep further. Amy was never able to stay still for too long anyhow. Untangling herself from her lover's steel embrace, the female bat sleepily made her way into the kitchen to see if her assumption was correct. Loud chopping alarmed the bat as soon as she stepped close enough to hear the distinct noises coming from the kitchen, so she cautiously poked her head in to see Amy hacking away at a wooden cutting board full of what looked like a pile of cut up fruit. The hedgehog halted in her vicious attack at what was to be a fruit salad before her to see who was at the doorway, finding her semi-frightened best friend. "Good morning, Rouge!"

"Christ, Amy! I thought someone was severing heads in here or something!"

The rose hedgehog could only grin toothily and nonchalantly unwedge the knife she was using from the wooden board that held the miniature pieces of fruit. "Sorry, just making a fruit salad that helped in taking out my anger. Teehee."

Rouge sighed and walked into the kitchen to get herself some bottled water. "I'm glad that you're starting to feel better, but I think you should take it up with a stress ball or something because I want my belongings to last, hm?"

"Right. Sorry again."

"It's alright," the female bat replied with a grin, sneaking a peek at what was in the remaining pans on the stove, "I'm guessing that you're almost done by the looks of it."

"Yeah, pretty much! Just have to throw these into a bowl, and I'll be done. You don't mind calling the two sleepyheads, right?"

"Not at all, hun. I'll be right back, considering Knuckles was complaining about going to sleep on an empty stomach last night." she giggled as she hurried off to fetch the other two occupants of the apartment.

Amy smiled as her best friend disappeared, transferring all the food from the pans and the cutting board to corresponding plates and bowls, and arranging them as nicely as she could on the dining table. So she wouldn't wear herself out later on by washing all the dishes at the same time, the pink hedgehog took the time waiting for the others to join her to wash the pans and utensils she used, suddenly freezing in place when she had a knife in hand. Should she even think of it? Would she even brave enough to follow through with it? Her imagination ran wild with outcomes if she dared to run the blade along the length of her arm. _Would there be pain, or an adrenaline rush?_

Before she could find the answers to her questions, Rouge returned with a heavy sigh, startling the hedgehog and leaving the blade to clatter against the metallic surface of the sink. Amy stood as inconspicuously as she could, fiddling with the edge of the frilly apron she wore so that her outfit wouldn't gain any stains from cooking. The female bat strolled over to one of the upper cupboards, sighing once more, "Ames, you don't mind if I bring the food to Knuckles, right?"

"Not at all, why?" she almost squeaked nervously, clasping her hands together as she walked over to the dining table to distract herself from her previous thoughts.

"He's too stubborn to get out of bed, so I might as well offer food to the Knucklehead as a way to apologize for not feeding him."

"Oh, um, okay."

"But Shadow got up, so he's probably on his way downstairs by now," the ebony hedgehog then made his entrance, instantly retrieving a mug from the same cupboard to fill it with newly brewed coffee, "Speak of the devil. Aren't you going to have some of the buffet that Amy made for us, Shadow?"

"No." he replied bluntly as he faced the coffee machine, taking one long sip of his drink.

"Hmph, have it your way, sourpuss." she sneered, then making her way to exit the kitchen, "Thanks for the food, Ames! I bet it'll be delicious as it smells, but if it makes me fat, you owe me money for the gym!" she chuckled, giving Shadow's back the bird and blowing Amy a kiss before she disappeared once more.

The pink hedgehog smiled to no one in particular as she helped herself to whatever she felt like eating on her plate. Shadow surprised her by planting himself in the chair across from where she sat, following her example by dumping small amounts on his own plate. They ate wordlessly, and, from this, Amy noticed that the male hedgehog had a healthy appetite because he even went for seconds. A bit of happiness bubbled within her. Someone other than her closest friends, excluding the blue blur, enjoyed the food she made through her hard work. Sonic never complied with going to her house every time she said she had a whole dinner planned out, and even though she didn't directly ask Shadow to eat, he ate on his own accord, though he said 'no' initially. If she had pondered on the thought further, she would probably burst into tears, making the relationship between the two hedgehogs even worse. Ever since she had overheard their conversation, Amy was quite aware that the ebony hedgehog hated seeing her like this.

Her appetite soon died along with the thoughts of her once blue hero and his actions and decisions, causing her to lower her utensils and place them off to the side. Shadow was almost done himself, so she decided on putting everything into containers that she could fit them in the refrigerator. Upon popping the last piece of bacon on his plate into his mouth, he abruptly stood up, stacking empty plates within reach and carrying them over to the sink. He paused when his gaze landed on the lone knife lying there, wondering why everything else was washed besides the blade. He wasn't stupid, but he was quick to come to conclusions, considering yesterday's events were fresh in his mind. _Did she contemplate about it?_ Amy soon came up beside him to drop off her own pile of the ceramic plates in the sink, but was stopped by Shadow. "I'll wash."

Confusion swept the rose hedgehog's features as she locked stares with him. "N-No, it's okay! I don't mind- "

"I'll wash," he repeated with a more stern tone, easily taking the plates from her, "Just hand me whatever's dirty."

"Okay..." Amy replied uneasily, walking back to the table with hesitation.

- - -

With Shadow on dish duty, the two found themselves on Rouge's couch in the living room in no time, resorting to watching some music channel on the flatscreen. Rouge and Knuckles had gone downstairs to open up Club Rouge, so they were practically gone for the rest of the day.

Amy was curled up at one end of the couch, knowing all too well that Shadow disliked people within his personal space. She wanted to thank the hedgehog for his offered help, but she didn't want to open her mouth, not if she was going to create further tension between them. _Should I? Would he grow irritated? Sigh. There's only one way to find out..._

"Shadow?" she called softly, her fingers increasingly fidgeting with one another. Why was she this nervous only around _him_? Did she fear breaking what little friendship they had together? Probably. He was one of the more respectable males she knew, and it made her feel a little bit special at times. _More than Sonic had ever done._

"Hn?" he grunted.

"Thank you for earlier..." she said, taking a daring glance at him.

He didn't answer. Not even a grunt. Amy sighed inwardly and noticed that he increased the volume, the bass of the music currently playing causing a few of the objects by the television to shake and move centimeters from where they were originally placed. "Sh-Shadow, turn it down, please? Its hurting my ears, and Rouge's stuff might fall off the shelves!"

Desperate to save her best friend's belongings (and her hearing), she took hold of the remote which lay in between them, muting the volume entirely. "Didn't you hear me, Shad- ?"

"_Oh, Sonic_!"

Her grip tightened on the remote at the sound of a female's voice slicing through the silence of the room. "Wh...W-What was that?"

"The only reason why I turn up the volume when I watch television in the living room during club hours."

Amy's fingers were close to piercing through the hardened plastic, her tears threatening to escape.

"Same room, same whore. It's just fucking annoying really."

"How do you know its the same...person...?"

"Her pitch is distinguishable even when I blast the volume. Ugh, even though I don't imagine it, the noises they make are worthy of coaxing one to vomit."

She wasn't informed about this 'whore,' as Shadow called her, especially since Rouge didn't open up Club Rouge when it was one of those sleepover days. _Maybe it was that person he was talking to at Twinkle Park?_ Amy was aware, however, that the floor beneath the female bat's apartment was simply a floor primarily consisting of bedrooms for those that couldn't feel like they could make it to the privacy of their own houses. On the verge of tears, she attempted to stand up, but was soon scooped up into a pair of familiar arms. Shadow turned off the television before they started for the guest room, where the sounds of lovemaking from below could not be heard.

"Vanity..." Amy whispered upon their entry to their 'bedroom.' The onyx hedgehog put her down gently onto the vanity table's matching chair, quick to retreat back to his own bed to plop down on it. Her hands clenched and relaxed as she repeated in her mind what she had heard just moments ago, knowing that the cerulean hedgehog was now certainly _tainted_. She felt bitter, or was it jealousy? Even so, she knew she was extremely angered by the thought, going to the extent of forcefully pulling the rose from its vase and roughly throwing it on the wooden surface before her. She glared maliciously at the flower, hoping it would grow darker at a faster pace. It would signify the death of her unrequited love for the male hedgehog, as corny as it seemed, but it was what she wanted, and no one was going to tell her otherwise.

Sighing as her devious thoughts eventually faded away, she curiously went through the vanity's drawers, coming across a familiar red diary with a golden lock. Her hand flew her to mouth in disbelief as she cautiously lifted the book within a more comfortable view. It was her old diary, the one she had thought she had lost years ago during her third 'Rouge sleepover.' Of course, it was easy to lose track of things when all you could think about was _Sonic_.

Amy chewed at her lip eagerly as she fished out her key chain from another drawer, instantly picking out the shortest key out of all of them. Her first entry was dated back to the age of eight, the same year she was saved by Sonic for the first time, also the same year her crush on the hedgehog began. She laughed to herself as she read it, considering her greeting in the first entry spelled out '_Dear Dairy_.' The entry was written with a child-ish sense, making Amy both happy and sad, knowing she was once infatuated with the blue blur.

After skimming through a few of the entries, she then flipped through the prized book until she reached a blank page, an entry already forming within her thoughts. She tugged the pen that came with it free from its designated place in the diary, popping the cap off to scribble away pieces of her personal thoughts onto the awaiting page. Doodles and little phrases littered the margins that she didn't write in, most of them a bit morose for the normally bubbly pink hedgie. Content with her session of venting, she locked up the little book, placing it back in the drawer she had found it in.

A light snore coming from the direction of Shadow's blackened bed then caught her attention, causing her to turn so she could see if the hedgehog was really asleep. His position may have looked uncomfortable with his legs partially dangling off the side of the bed and him twisting his torso so that he could rest the side of his face on a pillow, but he had truly gone off to his dreamland. _Was he _that_ tired to go back to sleep in the afternoon?_ Amy then thought up the idea of correcting his placement and tucking him in as a way to repay him for what he had done the previous night. Rising herself from the chair, she crept over to his bed as quietly as she could, watching him to see if he could be woken up easily. When she didn't receive a reaction from him upon coming within centimeters of his bed, she went for his legs first, careful with swinging them over the height of the bed and laying them down in line with the rest of his body. Getting the blanket free from under the onyx hedgehog took a lot of effort from her, since he was heavier than he looked, but she somehow managed to cover him with his silky blanket.

The rose hedgehog admired her work from where she stood, giggling when she noticed Shadow looked angry even as he slept. His eyebrows were still in their knotted manner, so she ran the pads of her thumbs over his brow to coax them into relaxing for once. A couple of tries was all it took until his features softened, causing her curiosity to heighten. _He looks kind of cute..._

There was a slight hint of jasmine mingling with the air surrounding the male hedgehog, to which she considered he could've either gotten a hold of Rouge's scented soap, or because Rouge did the laundry. She liked it, however, since she was never in someone's personal space for this long to catch a whiff of their usual scent. The jasmine aroma grew stronger as Amy neared his sleeping form, though she stopped halfway from getting too close. Her dreamy smile was altered into that of a small frown, due to the thoughts that then flooded her mind._ N-No, Amy, you can't do this to yourself again. Distract yourself, distract yourself..._

Her hands instantly retracted to her body when she found her finger drawing closer to his lips from tracing the edges of his muzzle. It became difficult to swallow as she slowly backed away, feeling a small pang in her chest. _He wouldn't even... Just because he shows that he cares a little more than Sonic, doesn't mean you should fall for him._

Biting her bottom lip, she was forced to take refuge in her temporary bed because of two hedgehogs that weren't aware of what they were doing to her emotional state. She found herself drifting off soon enough, resulting in her own light snore. Shadow, who completely faked his sleeping charade, sat up at the sound, knowing all too well that Amy herself was a heavy sleeper. His fingers lightly re-traced the path that she had created on his cheek as he threw his covers off of his body to saunter quietly to the vanity in search for the book he had watched Amy scrawl endlessly in. Rouge didn't have to know that he was merely trying to find ways to push Amy in the direction of finding happiness without the _faker_, so he did it sneakily around the female bat, but a tad more openly when they were left alone. Not caring the least bit that he was invading someone's privacy, he opened up the book with the only key that seemed to fit the lock, then taking a seat that she had previously sat in.

_November 20th, 2001_

_Dear Charlie Ray, (Yes, I gave you a name now! I hope you like it. _:] _)_

_I'll fall in love with him, too. I just know it. Rouge is forcing him to be nice, and I'll end up  
surrendering to my feelings once more. I don't want to take the risk of having my feelings  
thrown in my face again. I may be judging every male as if they were all the same, but it  
hurts. It truly does.  
_

_...Is it because I'm pink? Sigh. That's why I always hated anything and everything pink,  
especially myself._

_Is it masochistic of me to for myself to fix a buffet for my friends, knowing that they will  
smile? They don't know that their happy attitudes only increase my pain because I can't  
smile myself because of all this misery. Am I being too dramatic in describing how I  
feel? Maybe simply overreacting with the heavy feeling my whole body is slowly succumb-  
ing to? My body so sluggish and overcome by a nagging feeling that anyone could bat  
away easily? Perhaps, but what I'm saying is true. I'm hurting, and, unlike everyone else,  
I can't escape it. I'm not strong enough as some people believe._

_My Charlie Ray, _save me_ from myself when the time comes.  
I don't want my friends to mirror this pain that I'm close to surrendering to._

_You've been a good friend for listening to my banter (and past squealing, haha),  
Amelia Rose._

The entry rendered the male hedgehog speechless. There was so much information he had to take in, despite the fact it was only a page of thoughts from the pink hedgehog. But only one thing was made crystal clear to him, and he already had his response in mind. Taking the pen, he advanced to the end of the book, printing his own reply on the last page before placing everything back to the way he found it.

_- x - x -_

End **Chapter Two**.

_- x - x -_

(Gaaah! I'm so sorry if this chapter doesn't really live up to the first!)

Even though I got two reviews for the first chapter, I still decided to move on with this story. :]  
They were _that_ encouraging. Thank you so much!

Ohh, please review! It'll come in handy if I'm feeling too down to go on! -dramatically falls to the floor-  
Hehe. :3

_Maschera di Miseria has signed off._


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fic, SEGA does, I believe. :3

_- o - o -_

**Chapter Three** // Shrouded by Sloth, Ignored by Greed.

_- o - o -_

Guitar strings. Distinct plucking of guitar strings. That's what Amy woke up to this time. She slowly stirred from the nap she didn't know she took, unlike earlier when the bright rays of sunshine had irritated her into being fully awoken. The music that filled the room, and the fact she had her warm comforter was pushed up against her muzzle, was quickly lulling her back to sleep, but she didn't want to give in, not when she wanted to figure out who was playing such a calming melody.

"Mmmf..." she sighed, muffled by the fabric she had her nose buried into.

Sitting up slowly, the pink hedgehog ruffled her quills into place, growing agitated when her fringe wouldn't stray away from her eyes. She soon gave up, however, after realizing why she had sat up in the first place. Shadow always had some music channel playing whenever he had the television on, so that was where she looked primarily, only to find that it was on, but muted. The confused hedgehog scanned the room for a radio, or some other form of device that could play music, surprised when her gaze finally landed on the blackened bed parallel to hers. There lay the onyx hedgehog, a black acoustic guitar resting on his lap and sheets of paper spread messily around his form. He was concentrated only on one sheet, however, his hands either smoothly gliding across the wooden neck, or plucking at the strings. _Huh. He doesn't use a pick._

"Shadow?" she called out with hesitation, since she felt it would be a crime to put a stop to the melody he was producing.

He glanced at her briefly as though he wanted to acknowledge her, and suddenly slowed to a stop with his playing.

"You play beautifully, you know." she threw a smile in his direction as she swung her feet over the edge of her bed.

Again, he didn't answer, quick to rustle through the sheets laid out on his bed with his stare glued to them.

A silent sigh escaped her as her feet touched the cold wood flooring of the room to retrieve her diary from the vanity table. With her little red book and keys in hand, Amy padded into the bathroom, slowly shutting and locking the door behind her. From there, she slumped against the nearest wall, letting herself slide down so her bottom could rest upon the white tiles of the floor. Once sitting comfortably, she opened up the lock of the diary, quickly hunting for her last entry. Again, she jotted a few thoughts down, leaving it unfinished so she could write more thoughts later on in the day.

- - -

"Ames!"

The pink hedgehog looked up from where she sat at the dining table, distractedly watching something Shadow, who had long put away his guitar to transfer himself to the living room before she did, had randomly flipped to on the living room flatscreen. "Oh, Rouge! Back so soon?"

The female bat sighed in a relieved manner, and lightly dropped herself in a chair nearest to her best friend, all the while fanning herself. "Just taking a bit of a break is all. The heat is killer down there!"

Amy laughed in response, slightly jumping in her chair when the kettle she was waiting for suddenly whistled. "And to think, the owner should be used to the environment in their own club!" she called behind her as she went to turn off the stove.

"Oh, har har, Amy. I think I should be going though. I don't want Knuckles thinking I'm off with some other man!" she said in the direction of the kitchen while she stood up, smoothing out wrinkles in her dress.

The female hedgehog snorted, "You shouldn't have taken that break up here because that dress shows more skin than your usual ones." she joked as she stirred in a pack of hot cocoa mix into her boiling water, coming back into view of those in the dining room and the living room.

Rouge only stuck her tongue out playfully before she left, not even saying one word to the hedgehog relaxing on the couch.

"Bye to you, too." Amy muttered lowly, claiming the same chair as she carefully blew into her mug.

Pitter-patter against the kitchen's window soon caught her attention, causing her to tilt her head with curiosity. _Oh? Night time already? And its raining... _she thought as she grinned,_ Rouge isn't around, so..._ Suddenly rising to her feet, she carefully carried the the mug over to the coffee table set between the television and the couch, hoping that Shadow would come around to drinking it. Right now, she only desired in getting onto the roof.

- - -

The rain had lightened up to a slight drizzle when Amy stepped foot onto the concrete floor of the roof, only clothed in her spare change of pajamas she always left at Rouge's house just in case. She didn't care if she became sick, she wanted to know what it felt like to be out during times like this. Cream and Rouge were always around to stop and force her to stay inside where it was warm, where they would chug down mugs of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows and chomp down on s'mores melted via stove. No one knew that she found the cold, no matter how icy, a bit welcoming, as well as a bit of an eye opener if she felt too sleepy.

Amy perched herself on the lengthy ledge parallel to that of the club's entrance, her legs lazily dangling off the edge. The evening breeze was here and there to weave in and about her quills, causing them to tickle her face every so often. She could feel her clothes slowly growing damper by the drizzle, but, of course, she didn't really seem to care. The familiar ruby-red quills belonging to a usually hot-headed echidna was what she could distinguish at the start of a line bordered by velvet ropes, a soft giggle escaping her when she saw two females pushing up against him as a way to persuade him for access to the club. She knew what would happen next: Knuckles would huff angrily and shove them away as if they weren't girls, due to his loyalty to Rouge and embarrassment toward viewing or feeling the female body. It happened just a few moments after she ran the imagery through her head, laughing openly when she saw a few people in the back topple over one another.

As the seconds ticked by, the rain grew heavy once more, causing Knuckles to bring out a tarp to shield the awaiting party goers from the sudden shower. That's when two figures, one blue and one brown, exited the building hand-in-hand before the blue figure popped open the umbrella they would share until they were safe from the rain. _Sally. His _whore_ was Sally! Why..._her_? What does she have that I don't? Right, the lack of my well-known annoyance._ Upon closing her eyes and tilting her face toward the sky as far as she could without hurting herself, she didn't know whether she was really crying or not. She half-heartedly smiled a broken smile, letting her legs softly alternate in swinging. _Haha, I almost thought that the rain was crying _with_ me. How cheesy._

Heaving a deep sigh, she brought her legs over the ledge to plant her feet on the concrete flooring, sluggishly striding over to the nearest corner to plop down, rest her back against the ledge, and curl up. The heavy feeling she had been feeling for the past few days began to swirl within the confines of her chest again, slowly edging toward the rest of her body as it had done before. Of course, she was already used to it by now, with a bit of the help from being practically numb because she had been sitting there soaked and exposed to the cold weather surrounding her. Her ears twitched at the sound of a door opening, more specifically the door leading to the rooftop because of the particular creak of its aged hinges, indicating that someone had also decided to visit the roof. There was a light sound to the footsteps drawing near, until the person stopped short in front of her. "Rose, you're...Ugh, what the hell are you doing out here in this damned weather?"

Drawing her limbs as close as she could to her body, she flinched and sobbed simultaneously. "Go away!"

An audible growl escaped Shadow, causing her to cower even further into the corner. "You're _hopeless_."

Amy merely pressed her lips into a thin line and forcefully shut her eyes, waiting to be whisked away from the rain that seemed to show as much emotion as she did. _Perhaps...I may be growing a bit delusional. Maybe it _is_ safer if I stay inside..._

The ebony hedgehog soon carried out what she anticipated, strolling toward the bathroom after closing the door to the roof, and placing her in the stand-in shower. "Wha-W-What a-are yo-you do-doing?" she stuttered, her body now overcome with shivers.

"Bathing you in hot water so you won't get sick." he said gruffly, twisting the knob labeled with a red indicator midway with one hand as his other latched onto the pink hedgehog's arm. At first, ice cold water had shot out from the showerhead, pelting the side of Shadow's head in the process and causing Amy to squeak, in spite that she had been recently sitting in same temperature conditions. The liquid soon became warmer and warmer until it became scalding hot, coaxing a small shriek of pain from her. "Shadow! Ho-Hot! _Too hot_!" she squealed, her attempts to turn around basically futile.

The ebony hedgehog grunted as he firmly held the squirming female in place, letting her skin become a light pink before he shut off the water supply with more effort than he thought he needed. His whole upper torso and head had also been soaked from holding Amy, so his own shirt was clinging to him uncomfortably, and was beginning to seep into his jeans. Quickly dragging the female onto the awaiting bath mat, he handed her a towel, leaving his usual towel to rest on his sopping wet quills. "Here, you're old enough, dry yourself off," he muttered as he rubbed his towel against his quills.

It didn't take long until his quills were considered dry enough, so he threw his towel aside to take his shirt off, hanging it on the towel rack after wringing it free of excess water. Amy suddenly blushed at his actions, even though she was used to seeing him shirtless (and basically lacking in clothes when she had first met him), turning her back to him as she dried herself off as much as she could. She took a side glance at herself in the mirror, then noticing her quills were starting to become wavy. _Oh, I might as well leave them to dry instead of blowdrying and straightening them. It's only Shadow that will see me like this anyways. Rouge and Knuckles will be busy all night..._

She frowned when she involuntarily shivered, realizing she had nothing else to change into. It was too cold to move from where she stood, so she thought maybe she could ask Shadow if he could rummage through Rouge's things to find another set of clothes. _He would probably tell me to do it because its Rouge's things after all..._ Coming up with another idea, Amy swiveled back around to face him, only to find him missing. "Shadow?"

As if on cue, he returned with a worn black shirt and a pair of black boxers shorts. "I didn't want to go through Rouge's clothes, so here. The shorts don't fit me anymore, anyway." He didn't wait for a reply, simply tossing the said articles of clothing onto the marble countertop and closing the door behind him.

_He read my mind._ Amy smiled at the now closed door, "Thank you, Shadow." Wriggling free from her wet clothes, she happily tugged on the new set, eyeing herself in the mirror curiously. _I kind of look nice in black clothes._ she thought, giggling to herself. As she looked at her back in the mirror, she noticed the same jasmine scent had dispersed into the air around her, now aware that it was his clothes that had the enticing scent. Shaking it off, she then followed Shadow's example, also ridding her previous clothes of water before hanging them on the same rack, leaving her to half-skip into the bedroom where the ebony hedgehog had also retreated to.

Her fringe was irritating her again as soon as she stepped into the room, so she set off to find her headband, surprised to find it wasn't on the nightstand where she thought she had left it. Dropping to her knees, Amy bent down to floor level to see if it had fallen to the floor underneath her bed. It was a bit difficult for her to see into the depths of the space underneath, even with the light on, so she sat back into a kneeling position. "Oh, where did my headband go?" she asked no one in particular. After sitting on the floor in deep contemplation, she then gave up, going to what seemed like the next best thing. _Maybe Rouge has some bobby pins I can borrow._ she thought as she stood to exit the room.

A pair of cerise eyes followed the pink hedgehog until she disappeared through the doorway, leading Shadow to somehow remember that he had left the offered hot chocolate downstairs. He lazily rose from his bed to saunter back into the living room, his eyes instantly trailing toward the ceramic mug sitting on the coffee table. Taking it into his hands and knowing that it had cooled down completely, he still stared at the chocolate liquid harbored within the mug, a bit hesitant to gulp it down. It wasn't until the pink hedgie herself came downstairs to make another cup of cocoa that he decided to drink every single drop of it, finding it was made not too chocolately or sugary. Licking his lips to get what he had possibly left, he strolled into the kitchen after the female hedgehog, accidentally brushing against the tip of her tail in the process of setting down the emptied mug into the steel basin of the sink. He had coaxed a small squeal from her, gaining a glance from her blushing face. "Sorry, you kind of startled me..." she said, gluing her gaze back onto the kettle off to her right.

"Hn." came his ever so famous response as he left her alone in the kitchen.

Becoming a bit skeptical with their current friendship, Amy began to think, wondering if she was going to lose her friends through her annoying antics as well. Was Shadow starting to become irritated with her, too? She _was_ becoming a hassle, making him do things for the sake of her (and her health), despite the fact she was able to do them herself. The familiar feeling of her body growing heavy hit her for the second time today, a dull ache gripping her chest as the kettle slowly began to rise towards its high-pitch whistle. She shut off the fire before the slightly deafening whistle came, subconsciously pouring the scalding hot liquid into the mug. She then started after Shadow, climbing the stairs carefully as she stirred her drink thoughtfully.

Shadow's music spilled into the hallway that held the door leading to her temporary room, which was left wide open for those that wanted to listen. Giving herself a small, reassuring smile, Amy padded back into the guest room, finding that he wasn't playing at all, but it was merely an mp3 with a speaker. A bit disheartened, she resorted to letting her legs give under her as soon as she reached the vanity to put her cocoa down, right in front of the drawer that held her diary. The little red book was now left unlocked since she grew lazy in reaching for her keys, so now all she had to do was open it and write. _Who would be curious enough to read this anyway?_

Contemplation crossed her face while she figured out how to start off her next few lines of thoughts, the music suddenly switching to that of the same song, but with another guitar added in. _Was he planning to learn that, too?_ With a bit of inspiration thanks to her recent saviour, Amy quickly finished the entry with an unsure frown. While signing off her name, she already had the idea of learning the new addition to the song, wondering if it was a collaboration with two guitars.

...Well, how should she know? She wasn't _that_ familiar with instruments and music.

Fueled a bit by determination, she tossed the book back into place and cautiously walked over to foot of the blackened bed, her hands fidgeting with the edge of her shirt. The onyx hedgehog looked up from the paper in front of him, pausing the music as well. "Can you teach me how to play guitar, Shadow? Well, that other part, the one I haven't heard you play..." she trailed off into a whisper. She quickly readied herself for the rejection, her hands now clutching tightly at the fabric and her lips pressed together.

With hesitation, he pushed aside of a bit of the pile of papers nearest to where she stood, making a space that seemed big enough for her to sit on. "Sit there. I'll be right back."

Surprised, Amy gingerly heaved herself onto the silky sheets, smiling at the feeling of it shifting against her legs as she crossed her legs in an Indian manner. _So he wasn't annoyed with me at all. I'm glad..._ A few tears rolled down her cheeks as she grinned to herself, causing her to wipe them away before Shadow returned. As she blinked away the rest and sniffled anything her nose had produced, the male hedgehog soon came back with another acoustic guitar in hand, but it was of the standard wooden color. "This is the first one that Rouge had gotten me. She thought I would break this one because of my apparent frustration, so she bought me that one, too. " he motioned to the black acoustic placed on his other pillow.

She giggled as she took the instrument from him, running her gloveless fingers on its surface gently as if it were fragile.

"What's so funny?" he asked, sitting back down.

"Nothing. Just its funny how people judge a book by its cover most of the time..."

"Hn."

Ignoring the response, she chewed her lip as he shuffled through different sheets. "So what am I learning?"

"Rhythm. It's easier than lead, which is what you've heard me play."

"Oh..." A sheet of paper with confusing drawings of what seemed like six lines and numbers thrown in was placed in front of her.

From there, he described that the lines were basically the strings of the guitar, and that the numbers corresponded to which frets were where the strings were to be held down. There were tries where she would laugh at herself, and tries where she would automatically shut up if she felt Shadow himself grow frustrated with her. It was around her nineteenth try when he finally shut off the pre-recorded music, jumping in as soon as his part began. Amy still had to glance at her guitar to know where her fingers hit the frets, but memorized the tabs because they were mostly the same chords over and over again.

Nearing toward the end, Amy looked up to observe if he could play without staring at his fingers and instead found his crimson eyes watching her, causing a sudden thought to occur to her. She could feel her tears brimming, so she bowed her head so he wouldn't see her while she seemed 'pathetic' as he had called her at the park. Once they hit the last note, it wasn't long before she almost stumbled off his bed, gently placing the guitar against the nightstand separating their beds before she dove underneath her comforter and turned her back toward him to let the tears flow freely. _You don't have hope with Shadow, Amy, you just don't..._

Shadow stared at her back with an expression wedged between surprise and a glare. _Why did she leave so abruptly?_ Shaking his head, he sneakily scanned through his mp3, searching for the version with only the lead guitar and playing it. Simulating as if he were producing the music, he crept over to the vanity, doing as he had done earlier to read her diary.

_November 20, 2001_

_Dear Charlie Ray,_

_I might be skipping the depressing venting as my previous entry entirely depicts, haha!  
Oh, and let's not forget the rhetorical questions that you can't even answer.  
No offense! Heehee.  
_

_I had no idea that Shadow could play the guitar, and he plays beautifully, nonetheless. _:]_  
Though what throws me off is that what he was playing was way too much of a calming  
tone for him. But it makes me smile knowing that there are things most of us don't  
know about him. (He knows how to maintain his mysterious atmophere so well that its  
completely irksome!)_

_Did you know he smells really good when you're close enough? ...Gah, that was a bit  
stalker-ish. _D: _Anyway, I think its because Rouge does the laundry, and I somehow tend  
to associate the scent of jasmine with him alone..._

_( 11:20 PM )_

_(Okay, I have to stop smelling the shirt he lent me! Yes, its because Rouge does the  
laundry. Heehee.)  
_

_So...he seemingly knows how to distract me from remembering anything related to Sonic.  
Shadow has ways of keeping me from thinking too much about his blue counterpart, and  
he was able to make me forget that I saw Sonic and Sally walking out of the club earlier.  
(It was horribly depressing and Shadow came to my rescue before I got sick...) I don't know  
how he does it, but I'm grateful because I grow scared when I'm engulfed by my depression..._

_Wow. His music is even twice as moving when you add this other part to it...I think there's  
even a keyboard added in...Ugh, stupid music that's close to provoking my tears and remind-  
ing me of my dreams...  
_

_Sigh. I just want to know what its like for someone to love me back for once, and its hard to  
wait for that one person that'll grant my wish someday. But would I last that long, Charlie Ray?  
Would I last that long to know what its like to finally have someone that will just love me back...  
...even for a little bit?_

_Haha, I sound so _pathetically_ desperate..._

_I'm sorry, I...did it again...  
I'll just stop here,  
Amelia Rose._

Copying the way she had done it, Shadow flipped to the back and followed her example by writing on the back of his latest reply, frowning when it came to responding to her last thoughts. Did she take it to heart when he had called her pathetic? _I knew I shouldn't have involved myself with helping her. I'm starting to grow soft._ Growling lowly, he restricted himself from throwing the book back into place without finishing, but upon turning back to where she had left off to re-read one bit, something scribbled in the margin caught his eye.

_Why does it feel like I have some hope with Shadow?  
Is it because I dreamed that he said that he loved me?_

He went back to his page, but couldn't write something for her questions. After a long internal debate, Shadow sighed frustratedly, deciding that he couldn't put down what he had in mind because his feelings were simply too confusing to sort out on the spot. With that, he dropped the diary back into the drawer, then taking the mug to set it down on the nightstand his guitar rested against. He finally went back to his original seat on his bed, a headache forming from too many thoughts racing through his head.

_Fuck. Am I falling in love with you, Rose?_

_- x - x -_

End **Chapter Three**.

_- x - x -_

Absolute thanks to **KrystalFan1313**, **TheDemonRazgriz**, **madgirl1997**, **Project Shadow**, **Elys**, **Eragon250**, **darkmoon12345**,** LilyRosetheDreamer**, and **Armageddemon**!

I seriously broke out into a grin when I saw more reviews given last chapter! I'm happy that this attracted a few more readers. -still totally freakin' stoked-

It helped me out a lot this chapter, but now I'm just wondering if this is this late...  
And I'm sorry if it is! I type this up at night because that's when I'm in the mood to write most of the, err, depressing parts...

(So, uh, am I the only one that cries during the Charlie Ray parts?  
Perhaps I just get into character too much. xD)

That reminds me: just one more chapter left! Whoooo! (Or maybe boooo?)  
...Well, it won't be the last if I think I have to divide it into two chapters. ;D

Teehee, review, please? :3

_Maschera di Miseria has signed off._


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